Tag Archives: Pose

Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!

Kyle’s Choice

Tonight, FX premieres the latest spectacle from prolific TV series creator Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story). Pose is set in 1987 New York, where all walks of life come together and intersect – from the wealthy Wall Street businessmen, to those who participate in a unique world of ball culture, and the social and literary elite. Blanca Rodriguez (Mj Rodriguez) has been a longtime member of the House of Abundance, the reigning champion in a world of underground costume ball competitions. Each week various “houses” challenge one another to compete in themed costume balls, where the participants are judged on their outfits, attitude, and dance skills – the only prize being bragging rights and reputation. Assisting and mentoring all of those who compete is house grandfather Pray Tell (Tony Award winner Billy Porter).

Blanca decides it’s time for her to break away and start her own house, which doesn’t go over well with her former house mother, diva Elektra Abundance (Dominique Jackson). However, Blanca wants to create a new home that is welcoming to LGBTQ youth who have been rejected by their birth families, like she was. She soon crosses paths with dancer Damon Richards (Ryan Jamaal Swain), who is currently sleeping on park benches after his parents kicked him out of their home for being gay. Meanwhile, young New Jersey couple Stan (Evan Peters, American Horror Story) and Patty Bowes (Kate Mara, House of Cards) also find themselves entering a new, unfamiliar world of luxury and glamour when Stan takes a job at Trump tower. His new boss, Matt Bromley (James Van Der Beek), is the epitome of everything 80s, from his casual drug use to his “Greed is Good” type attitude. However, is his new setting, Stan also starts to explore another side of his desires when he meets transgender streetwalker Angel (Indya Moore).

Pose is certainly not going to appeal to everyone. In fact, I was about to quit watching the pilot halfway through, but I was glad I stuck with it. While I don’t understand this ball culture – or why one team is judged to be better than the other – at the core of the series is a really interesting and compelling character drama with characters that we don’t see on TV. The glitz and glamour of these balls is just icing on top of a much deeper show that I am interested to see more of. The series feels very authentic, featuring the largest cast of transgender actors in series regular roles, as well as the largest recurring cast of LGBTQ actors ever for a scripted series. However, at no time during the pilot did I feel like the show was getting political or pushing an agenda. It doesn’t specifically call out the characters as being gay or transgender – they are treated like any other character, just everyday folks trying to get by and facing issues that anyone can relate to. Although, the series is set in the 1980s, and there is also the very serious scare of HIV in this community at that time. Tonight the series is being kicked off with an extended 97-minute premiere. I highly recommend those who maybe aren’t drawn in by the glitzy Ryan Murphy spectacle part of the series stick around to experience the more dramatic core of the show.

On tonight’s premiere, “Pilot,” in 1987 New York, Blanca Rodriguez pursues her dream of becoming a house mother after receiving a devastating medical diagnosis; Damon Richards moves to the city with aspirations of joining a dance company.